The Tampa Bay Lightning made their first trade of the year, and while it might be considered a minor one, they bring some potential offense on the blue line into the system. Prior to their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team announced that they had acquired defender Ethan Samson from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Roman Schmidt.
The trade brings Schmidt’s tenure with the organization to a close. A rugged defender with size, the 22-year-old showed some potential over the last season, but an inability to stay healthy has slowed his progression a bit. Ranked 12th in the latest Top 25 Under 25, Schmidt has one assist in 13 appearances for the Crunch this season.